United Technologies Corp.’s planned purchase of Raytheon Company, announced over the weekend, is spurring lawmakers and the White House to ask questions on how the merger would limit competition in the defense industry. Read More →

The Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group (ABECSG) and Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group (KSGARG) conduct joint operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations on May 17, 2019, in the Arabian Sea. The ABECSG and KSGARG, with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, are prepared to respond to contingencies and to defend U.S. forces and interests in the region. US Navy photo.

As tensions between the United States and Iran continue to rise and fall, a Navy carrier strike group and amphibious ready group exercised together in the Arabian Sea over the weekend in a somewhat rare training event. Read More →

Acting U.S. Secretary of Defense Patrick M. Shanahan meets with Colombian Vice President Marta Lucía Ramírez at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. on May 7, 2019. DoD Photo

This post was updated to include a Tweet from Patrick Shanahan about his nomination.

Former Boeing executive Patrick Shanahan will be nominated by President Donald J. Trump on Thursday to become the permanent secretary of defense, a position he’s held on an acting basis since the start of the year. Read More →

President Donald Trump will head to Tokyo later this month to discuss how to resume stalled denuclearization talks with North Korea, work more jointly on cybersecurity with the Japanese and build upon his meeting with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in resolving trade issues between the two nations. Read More →

CAPITOL HILL – Navy leaders told House and Senate appropriators this week that the service is ready to move out on its first new large surface ship design in a decade. Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson also said the service is moving to build in more margin for its new ballistic missile submarine program. Read More →

This post has been updated to include statements from Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Va.) and Rep. Elaine Luria (D-Va.) on Vice President Pence’s comments.

The White House budget proposal to skip a scheduled refueling of aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) appears to have lost support in the Trump Administration, according to Vice President Mike Pence. Read More →